Nigerian Archbishop John Onaiyekan named by Pope Benedict XVI to the Vatican's College of Cardinals

Archbishop John Onaiyekan, Metropolitan and Archbishop of Abuja Ecclesiastical See, is now a cardinal designate. The Pope will grant Onaiyekan and five others the red hat in a consistory that will be held on November 24, 2012.Archbishop Onaiyekan becomes the fourth Nigerian to attain the position of a Cardinal after Dominic
Cardinal Ekanem, who died in 1995, Francis Cardinal Arinze and Anthony Cardinal Okogie."I see the elevation as a great honour to Africa, Nigeria, my country
and (Nigeria's capital) Abuja," the 68-year-old told AFP by phone from
Rome."It is an encouragement for me to continue the good works that I have been doing for humanity," he added.Onaiyekan
has won widespread respect for his efforts to ease religious tensions
in Africa's most populous nation, where divisions have led to deadly
clashes.